Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Living Frugally - Car-Pooling

 

Good news and bad news. 

First, the bad news: Petrol price increase by a huge jump. 

Now the good news:  Our carpool gang is saving more. 

(C'mon.  Look at things positively, ok?)

 

The four of us living in SP and working in Perai have been car-pooling to work each day for the last 14 years.  Well, some members went and new ones joined us, but we almost always managed to maintain our gang of four.  The important thing is, we share that give-and-take attitude.  We keep our focus positively on the savings we get out of it.  Guess we have been lucky as well because we work in the same dept.  We save a lot, and we help the environment.

 

For our schedule; each person drives for one week in rotation.  We use the first letter of our names, spell it as S.T.A.R. and we never forget who's turn it is to drive.  No need for a roster, schedule sheet or a calendar.  We call it the STAR Alliance.  We fix our unwritten rules and live by them.

 

 

Before petrol price hike:                RM

Toll                               =            7.20

Petrol                            =          12.80

Maintenance                  =          2.00

Total per day                 =          22.00

 

Total per month              =          484.00

Cost per member           =          121.00

Monthly savings then   =          363.00

 

After petrol price hike:                   RM

Toll                               =            7.20

Petrol                            =          18.00

Maintenance                  =          2.00

Total per day                 =          27.20

 

Total per month              =          594.40

Cost per member           =          148.60

Monthly savings now   =          445.80

 

7 comments:

  1. yeah.. gas prices = @_@ (wait.. i take the bus!!)

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  2. you are lucky to have friends living and working in the same area.
    Car pooling is good, but unfortunately, most people live in different area and work in different areas too.

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  3. 1 guy lives 15 kms away north of town, another about 12kms east, 3rd guy 4 kms south. Our collection center: my place (lots of parking space).
    Sometimes one of us may get held up by meetings or other work issues and have to stay late, so we wait. If that takes too long, we find alternate car pools or individuals from same town and hitch a ride back. They are often willing to help because sometimes they need us too, esp if their cars break down or etc. It works for us.

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  4. If I take the bus, it'll be 3 buses and a taxi. I'll probably arrive at work around lunchtime...lol
    We don't have a transport system here. We have a nightmare...

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  5. My problem is, I have to pick up my wife at 5:15pm then my son at 5:30pm, and then I have to rush home so that we have time to do some household work....

    We really don't have time to wait.

    To me, I rather find another income source to cover the additional expenses caused by the petrol price hike. My situation now is, our household income will not cover our household expenses.

    We are on our own uncle, my sick father is being taken care by my mother and she barely has time to help us and we can't afford any household assistant (maid).

    I am not against the petrol price hike because it is the fact that we have to accept. What I am angry is, the country and most of the people are not ready yet. The government should do it one step at a time.

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  6. The transportation system in Malaysia has always been a nightmare. Billions of dollars spent for nothing.

    ReplyDelete